Calvinism: Does Romans 9:14-18 support it?
Calvinism is the Protestant theological system of a man named John Calvin and his successors. This is a system of thought many people have accepted. When Scripture is taken out of its context it is easy to see how this could happen. Typically, this system of thought is said to be based on five beliefs. That system of thought is defined and explained in my article on this website entitled, Calvinism: What is it all about? It is claimed that Romans 9:14-18 supports Calvinism. Does it? Let’s look at that passage and see what we should conclude from it.
Romans 9:14-18
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
People who profess to be Calvinists claim that God hardens some individuals making them resistant to the gospel of salvation but chooses to have mercy on others [the so-called “elect”] to cause them to accept it. In other words, people who accept the teaching of John Calvin believe it is God alone who ultimately decides who is going to Heaven and who will spend eternity in hell and the Lake of Fire. The Calvinists claim that man’s own volition does not play a part in his salvation because God controls it. John Calvin did not believe man had the free will to decide for himself. He taught that it is God who determines man’s volition in all things. He believed that man’s “free will” wasn’t truly free. It is therefore believed that the only ones who get saved are the ones God chooses [or elects] for salvation. In Calvinistic circles it is believed that God hardens most people and causes only a few to believe for salvation. This is the Scripture these people present as proof of that.
Again, Romans 9:18
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. [Emphasis added]
The heart of the problem on this is common. It is Scripture that is taken out of context that leads people to adopt wrong conclusions and beliefs about this! Every Calvinist must do this to support his theory. Those who don’t follow the Calvinistic line of thought often don’t even comment on this Romans 9 passage. Many are not sure what to think of this teaching. Therefore, they end up letting Calvinists get away with their false explanation of it. As with all Scripture, only by studying these passages in their context and leaving false traditions out can they be correctly explained. This passage begins with a question asked of the apostle Paul. Let’s look at that again.
Romans 9:14-18
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh [Exodus 9:16], Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. [Emphasis added]
Is God unfair to choose certain people to serve Him? Is God unfair to choose only believers to serve Him? Is He unfair not to choose unbelievers? The context tells us this choosing He does isn’t random or unfair. When you look at the context, whom is God hardening and on whom is God having mercy? We need to let the record of Scripture tell us, not professing theologians. According to the context, God is having mercy and compassion on the nation Israel! Romans 9:15 is a quotation from Exodus 33:19. There God is speaking about the nation Israel after she had just sinned with the pagan golden-calf idol. Note what the Scriptures say about it.
Exodus 33:19
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. [Emphasis added]
All this has nothing to do with God taking away someone’s [an individual’s] free will. It is not saying God only saves people on the basis of His sovereign choice. What it is saying is that God exercises His mercy independently of man’s choices. Even though Israel deserved only judgment because of their rebelliousness, God chose to be merciful. Israel’s sin was not the main issue. Instead, the main issue was God’s mercy and His decision to restrain His wrath. Let’s look again at a portion of our passage.
Romans 9:17-18
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh [Exodus 9:16], Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. [Emphasis added]
Romans 9:17 is not talking about God hardening individuals throughout human history [as Calvinists teach]. It is about Pharaoh whom Moses confronted before Israel was delivered from Egyptian slavery. Technically, this is a national issue involving Egypt and Israel. Much the same can be said about Romans 9:11-13. It is another favorite passage of Calvinists. But there also it is a national issue—Israel, Jacob’s descendants, and Edomites, Esau’s descendants. In short, Calvinists are using verses that apply to nations, and falsely claiming those verses apply to individuals.
The Bible does not teach that God has chosen some people for Heaven and others for hell and the Lake of Fire. The Bible says nothing about God choosing Pharaoh for hardness. Pharaoh exercised his own free will. He willfully rejected God’s Word. In light of Pharaoh not wanting to accept and believe God’s Word, God’s Word hardened Pharaoh’s heart. God simply took Pharaoh’s unbelieving heart, exposed it for what it was, and then used it as an opportunity to demonstrate that His power was greater than that of the Pharaoh. Scripture warns all of us about doing this sort of thing.
Proverbs 29:1
1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. [Emphasis added]
Pharaoh had many opportunities to change his mind [repent] and let God’s people go. These were all expressions of God’s grace. But the Pharaoh hard-headedly kept resisting God’s will in the matter. It was a combination of God hardening Pharaoh using His Word and the Pharaoh hardening himself by using his free will to reject God’s Word. God hardened his heart in the sense that He kept giving him so many opportunities to let the people go. But at every opportunity Pharaoh kept resisting, becoming all the more resistant as his heart became more hardened. Numerous passages point all this out.
Exodus 4:21
21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. [Emphasis added]
Exodus 7:3
3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. [Emphasis added]
Exodus 7:13-14
13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. [Emphasis added]
Exodus 7:22
22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said. [Emphasis added]
Exodus 8:15
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. [Emphasis added]
Exodus 8:32
32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. [Emphasis added]
Exodus 9:12
12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses. [Emphasis added]
This is just a sampling. There are so many examples of this and God’s grace in this matter. But the Pharaoh kept saying no. Just such as this happens today when even believers resist God and His Word. The apostle Paul warns us about it in his letter to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 4:17-20
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
He’s warning them not to think and live like unbelievers.
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling [because of their hardness of heart] have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness [their frantic search for happiness apart from God]
20 But ye have not so learned Christ; [Emphasis added]
Our Lord pleaded with the people of Jerusalem to accept His message during His earthly ministry. What would be the point of this if they were unable to respond with faith? There’s a difference between total depravity and total disability.
Matthew 23:37
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! [Emphasis added]
John 5:39-40, 43
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. [Emphasis added]
God did not choose or elect all these people for condemnation and everlasting punishment, even as He doesn’t today. They chose it for themselves! He only accepts their decision.
It has always been God’s desire that all would be saved and, therefore, He made provision so that all could be saved.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack [BRADUTES = slow] concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing [BOULOMAI = wishing or desiring] that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. [Emphasis added]
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all [so there was the possibility for them all to be saved], then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. [Emphasis added]
1 Timothy 2:5-6
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. [Emphasis added]
Conclusion—
Scripture clearly tells us that God desires for all to be saved. It nowhere tells us God only wants to save “the elect” or those He causes to accept the gospel regarding Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It also tells us nothing about “hardening the lost” so that they cannot or can never be saved. He certainly could have, but He chose not to make us like robots. As long as anyone is alive the opportunity for their salvation is still as open to them as it ever was. All they must do is have a change of mind [repent] and decide for themselves to accept the provision God has made for their salvation. Everyone you know can be saved if they’ll choose to accept the provision God has made for them. God has not limited this offer to only some.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him [Jesus Christ on the cross] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we [speaking of anyone] might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]
If you’ve not accepted this provision for your salvation, I encourage you to do that now. God knows all your thoughts. If you will choose to believe this now, you’ll be immediately and permanently saved.
